Drive mechanism for steam or explosive engines



DRIVE MECHANISM FOR STEAM OR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES Filed May 20, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor Attorney June 9, 1942- o. s. DILLENB ACH 2,285,572

DRIVE MECHANISM FOR STEAM OR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES Filed May 20, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet -2 Inventor ,gwwah A tforuey Patented June 9, 1942 UNIT ST PATENT OFFICE DRIVE MECHANISM FOR STEAM OR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in drive mechanisms for either steam or explosive engines of the reciprocating piston type and has for its primary object the provision of a device of this character which will convert reciprocatory motion into a rotary motion and is especially adapted for use in lieu of connecting rods and a crank shaft and is so constructed that the full power for each piston may be utilized or delivered to the power take off shaft and includes means for driving the pistons on their non-power strokes by the pistons which are on their power strokes.

A further object is to provide a mechanism of this character of simple and practical construction, which is efficient and reliable in performance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view, partly in section, and illustrating the drive mechanism for either a steam or explosive engine in accordance with my present invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view.

Figure 3 is a detail side elevation partly in section and illustrating one of the gears and gear bars and Figure 3 is a detail vertical sectional View of a combined drive wheel and ratchet mechanism.

For convenience, the present invention is shown in connection with an engine having a pair of cylinders with reciprocating pistons therein, although it will be understood that the invention may be used with engines employing a greater number of cylinders and pistons, if desired.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the base of the engine is indicated by the reference numeral 26 and the cylinders by the numeral 21. The reciprocating pistons in the cylinders are designated at 28 and have connected thereto in any well known manner the rods 29 on which are formed gear plates 39 and 3 I. A gear 32 is journalled on the base 26 and meshes with the gear plates 3| to bring about alternative reciprocation of the pistons.

Upstanding side walls 33 are provided on the base and rotatably support a power take off shaft 34 to which is secured a gear 35 that meshes with a gear 36 secured on an intermediate shaft 31. Arranged in alinement with the intermediate shaft 3'! are end shafts 38 which have the ends of the intermediate shaft piloted therein as shown at 39. Bearings 43 supported by pedestals 4| CPI mounted on the base 26 rotatably support the intermediate and end shafts, the end shafts also being journalled in the side walls 33. It is to be understood that the intermediate and end shafts rotate free of each other.

Gears 42 are secured on the end shafts and mesh with the gear plates 30. Thus it will be seen that the end shafts rotate in opposite directions by the reciprocation of the rods 29 and to rotate the intermediate shaft, in one direction by the opposite rotation of said end shafts combined fly wheels and ratchet gears 42 are provided which consist of flywheel portions 43 having pivoted thereto a plurality of spring influenced dogs 44 which coact with the ratchet gears 45.

The ratchet gears 45 are secured onthe end shafts while the flywheel portions are secured on the intermediate shaft and thereby bring about continuous rotation of the power take-off shaft in one direction by the rotation of the end shafts 38 in opposite directions. Thus it will be seen that the alternate reciprocation of the pistons will bring about the continuous rotation of the power take-off shaft in one direction and that when one piston is on the power stroke the other piston is on its non-power stroke.

The gear plate 3| is provided at its opposite edges with the teeth 3| in order that the same gear plate can be used for operative connection with an additional group assemblies.

It is believed the details of construction, operation and advantages of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing without further detailed explanation.

Having thus described claim is:

A power transmission device between a sectional drive shaft and a power take-off shaft, one section of the drive shaft having continuous rotary movement and operatively connected to the power take-off shaft and the other shaft section having rocking movement and operatively connected to a power device, said power transmission device comprising a combined fly wheel and ratchet mechanism including a ratchet wheel connected to the rockable section of the drive shaft, a pair of spaced annular members operatively connected to the rotatable shaft section, connectors between the annular members at the periphery thereof, dogs pivoted on the connectors for engaging the ratchet wheel to rotate the annular members in accordance with the movement of the rockable shaft section in one direction, and spacing members on the connectors between the dogs and the annular members.

my invention, what I DANIEL S. DILLENBACH.

of pistons and cylinder 7 

